Chapter 241

Chapter 241: Archie’s Story (7)

-You ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍no longer want to become a leader, do you?

His ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍bloodshot eyes followed Archie as if determined not to miss even the smallest reaction.

As ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍if something terrible would happen if Archie did not become leader.

And ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Archie thought he had gone mad.

Or ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍perhaps, like a certain insane human in the forest, he believed that if he merely babbled as he wished, some almighty being would make it come true.

Well, ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍either way, it was madness all the same.

-After getting weaker, even the things you do are becoming similar to humans. I doubt things will come true the way you want just because you babble with your mouth like that.

Even at Archie’s mockery, the leader’s gaze still did not fall away.

-The one becoming similar to humans is not me, but you. It seems the time you spend outside is growing longer and longer.

Archie could have pointed out the fact that the bastard was creepily calculating even the length of other people’s outings.

But for a moment, Archie could not say a word, as if his lips had stuck together.

He did not particularly want to admit it, but it was just as the leader said.

Even now, Archie had been on his way outside while the others were asleep.

But just because he had guessed one change in Archie’s behavior did not mean Archie had to quietly listen to the leader’s nonsense.

-Looking at you, it seems your head is going back and forth too. The one who gave me this order was you. The one who shoved an annoying task like human hunting onto me was you. And now you are blaming me because I carried out your order too diligently?

-No. I told you to hunt humans. I did not tell you to become close with humans.

-Do the humans you ate tonight look like my friends to you?

-Are your real friends not hidden somewhere else?

Even knowing that the leader was testing him, Archie felt his blood chill for a moment.

Fortunately, over the past three years, Archie had become quite good at deceiving others.

The only thing different from usual was that in this moment of lying, the unpleasant feeling of his heart stirring was interfering with him.

-No matter how I look at it, the one who has become too close to humans is not me, but you. I am already looking forward to seeing how the others will react once they realize you are not in your right mind.

Archie stared silently at the leader, conveying that his words were nothing more than mad nonsense.

As if something made him uneasy, the leader carefully examined Archie’s eyes and tried to find any sign of disturbance.

Suddenly, Archie realized the source of the leader’s anxiety was not fear that his place would be taken away.

Rather, it was the opposite.

Archie knew instinctively.

If he said some absurd nonsense here, like that he had no interest in the leader’s seat, the leader would do anything to turn Archie’s attention back to it.

But what on earth is the reason?

Shouldn’t he be happy if he can keep his place longer?

Even as he questioned it, Archie first had to answer the leader’s question.

He did not want to face that unpleasant gaze any longer, and if he said he did not care about something like the leader’s seat, the leader seemed likely to rampage while trying to find out the cause.

For some reason, that assumption made Archie uncomfortable.

-Yes. Do not forget. If you lose your direction, I will have no choice but to correct it.

-The one who lost direction is not me, but you. Judging by the state of you, it seems certain that the day you lose the leader’s seat to my hand is not far off.

Though Archie knew his voice sounded exactly the same as usual, he still had to forcibly suppress the unfamiliar anxiety.

-Yes, if you have not strayed from your orbit, then whatever I do should not matter. For example, even if I burn down the cabin you love so much, or trample the little bug living inside it to death.

As if mocking him, the leader whispered.

For a moment, Archie felt something surge up inside his chest, but he barely managed to stop it from showing outside.

-......Do as you please.

Archie answered expressionlessly.

The leader grinned at Archie and slowly turned away, disappearing back into the darkness.

Archie had to stand blankly in place and watch him vanish completely.

The reason he followed the leader’s back for even a little longer was probably regret.

Because today was the day the perfection he had maintained for three years broke.

***

Archie did not visit Amy’s house for over a week, even while knowing that it looked unnatural.

Instead, under the pretext of surveying the surroundings, he walked through the forest where the cabin was located quite often.

Maintaining a distance that was neither too close nor too far from the cabin.

During that time, Archie ate a little less, slept a little less, and thought much more.

He could no longer dawdle and spend time vaguely, and now he had to organize his next action.

The clearest fact was that the leader’s goal was not to protect his place, and that he thought the cause was Amy.

Archie was confident he understood the way Werewolves thought quite well.

At least better than an insane human.

The leader would kill Amy.

Probably as cruelly as he could.

Killing was merely for the sake of the objective, but adding cruelty to the process was for pleasure.

Archie knew how cruel monsters could become when playing with humans.

Until not long ago, he himself had not been very different.

But now......

Archie recalled the dry face that was always smiling loosely.

Every time he killed a human, that face came to mind.

It was not as if he had suddenly developed guilt over getting rid of a single human.

It was just that watching other bastards hack them apart had become terribly uncomfortable.

But even so, discomfort was still only discomfort.

That small thorn-like emotion was something he could endure sufficiently for the sake of another objective.

This meant that the action most advantageous for Archie in this situation had been decided.

Go to the cabin right now and get rid of Amy.

Whatever it was, the leader wanted to pass his place onto him, and apparently intended to capture Amy and threaten him with her.

If that happened, the insane human would clearly become his stumbling block.

For the sin of having learned too much about each other over three years, she would probably die horribly at the leader’s hands.

Archie recalled the death she had always wished for.

It was also the peace he had once decided he would one day give her as a gift.

Unable to live among humans, and in a tiny cabin with nowhere else to hide her, Amy had been waiting for the day she would carry out the order some mad Imperial Family bastard had once given her.

Dying at a monster’s hands was probably the happiest death she wished for.

Out of the affection they had built, Archie was willing to do it for her.

If he did it himself, she would be able to meet peace in a single instant.

Because unlike other Werewolves, he would not play with a human who could not even die and then devour her alive.

Archie moved his feet toward her cabin, deciding that if possible, he would end Amy’s breath in a single moment.

It was a journey far too slow for the distance.

Thanks to that, by the time he reached the door, Archie’s heart had tilted halfway toward somewhere else.

But before he could even be conscious of it, Archie realized that his visit was different from usual.

Before he even knocked on the door, the small footsteps that would come out to greet him could not be heard, and no sign of presence could be felt inside.

Forgetting his original purpose, Archie roughly broke the door and went in.

What greeted him was not a joyful welcome, but ominous silence.

The cabin was empty.

Archie sharpened his five senses and swiftly swept through the house.

He thought there had to be traces of intrusion.

Because Amy had nowhere to go.

If she left this cabin, Archie was certain it would be by force.

Archie’s gaze immediately turned toward the old table.

A large pile of cloth covered the tabletop.

Archie roughly lifted the only trace of a person left inside the house.

Then the small trace hidden by the leather was revealed.

Something had been carved into the table with rough hand movements.

Archie, who examined whether the unidentified traces were marks of an attack, soon realized they were too delicate to be clawed marks or bite marks.

And that they were letters left behind by a human.

It was not much help.

Because Archie did not know human writing.

However, if this was something Amy had left behind, he could at least know that she had left more urgently than expected, and that she had not been driven out of the house.

Only after calming his heart did Archie notice what the large cloth in his hand was.

It was the winter clothing Amy had promised to make him the last time.

He did not know why, but at least judging by the fact that she had been able to leave a final gift and writing, it did not seem she had been dragged away by force.

Though whether that would become a new refuge for her, he did not know.

Archie could not tell whether what came out of his mouth was a sigh of relief or a sigh of regret.

***

-Do you know you don’t look sane these days?

When the target of the sentiment that had always been aimed at Amy became himself, it felt new.

Archie gave Mona, who was following him with an expression of being fed up, a brief glance, then looked again at today’s prey visible between the dry, twisted leaves.

The human, who knew nothing, was looking around with a frightened face.

In preparation for a possible trap, Archie carefully examined the surroundings where the human’s gaze was directed.

Fortunately, there seemed to be nothing suspicious.

Ignoring Mona’s gaze, which was still glaring at him as if demanding an answer, Archie moved to a tree a little closer to the human.

But Mona, as if having no intention of leaving Archie quietly alone, followed close behind him and continued speaking.

-Yes, exactly that. Do you know it has been over a week since you shut your mouth and said a single word?

Has it only been that long?

Time has flowed so slowly that I thought it had been a month.

Archie could not shake the feeling that the past week had flowed far more slowly than the three years since he had come to know Amy.

It might have been because the time spent listening to Amy’s insane nonsense had disappeared, or because the time spent exchanging useless stories had vanished.

Or perhaps simply because she herself had disappeared.

But Archie thought he was adapting to that change quite quickly.

Because the time he spent thinking of Amy seemed to be gradually decreasing.

Now, if a little more time passed, he would be able to forget an insane human he had met by chance as if she had never existed in the first place.

As long as no one forcibly dragged up that memory he was trying to bury, things would likely be a little smoother.

-The leader’s condition is strange too. Is it because the time for the next Werewolves to be born is slowly approaching?

This time too, Archie briefly looked at Mona, who was bringing up the leader in front of him.

-You have always been quite interested in the circumstances around you.

Archie let Mona hear the voice he had wanted so much.

At the cold tone, Mona showed a puzzled expression.

Archie recalled the leader, who had known more than necessary.

When he went hunting, no matter what, he had resolved everything far away from Amy’s cabin.

The time he spent at Amy’s cabin had not been long either.

Most of all, he had always been careful so that there would be no Werewolf who dared ignore his order and secretly followed him from behind.

Despite that, the leader had known quite a lot.

Far too much for someone who had not gone human hunting even once since that day three years ago.

It meant there was at least one bastard reporting every single move he made to the leader.

And conveniently, before him stood one Werewolf who seemed excessively interested in him, facing him with a face that said he knew nothing.

Archie looked for a moment at Mona’s face, where his hot-blooded temper showed, then soon turned his gaze away.

Because the human who had been fearlessly wandering through the forest had finally discovered his destination and had begun adding speed to his steps.

Archie briefly flinched.

Coincidentally, the place he was heading was Amy’s cabin.

Archie furrowed his face while driving away Amy’s face that swept through his head like a tidal wave.

Now was not the appropriate time to think about a human who had left to die on her own feet.

Archie watched as the man headed toward the cabin without the slightest hesitation, then followed him together with Mona.

The man was not a particularly exemplary visitor.

The door he had roughly thrown open was still dangling with a creaking sound, and the man was rummaging through the house without noticing the presence of the two who had entered.

Only after seeing the large shadow cast before him did he startle and turn his body.

In his eyes as he looked up at Archie and Mona, greed and bewilderment were mixed.

-As far as I know, the human who lived here was a human woman who looked like she would die soon.

Mona said concisely, Then why are you, who are not the owner, rummaging through this place as if it were your house?

-No, I, I......

He stammered while looking back and forth between Archie and Mona.

-B-because this was the house where Amy lived. And they say Amy was captured and taken into the Temple.

-Amy? Is that the human who lived here?

Mona, who barely understood Amy’s name from the man’s words as they broke off from his trembling, tilted his head.

-What does that human returning to the Temple have to do with you, for you to come here?

Archie asked, ignoring Mona’s curiosity.

-Th-that’s because that woman hid in this beggar-like place for three years. I thought she must have hidden something......

Perhaps to ease his anxiety, he looked around frantically, turning his head here and there.

As if that spasmodic movement alone was not enough, he fiddled with an old-looking ring hanging on his finger.

-Did you think she had hidden gold or something in this beggar-like place?

When Archie asked mockingly, the man’s eyes flashed with anger for an instant.

-It is business more important than something like gold. That woman’s comrade will come to this place. Th-then we can capture that bastard together. That woman insisted she had been living alone, but that must be a lie. So......

While the human’s incoherent words continued, Archie, damn it all, pictured Amy before his eyes.

That woman, who could not lie very well, had probably worried about him even at the final moment as she was being dragged away.

Whenever he tried to get even a little closer, she would always step back, as if her sin were some contagious disease.

And in that moment, Archie had to admit, damn it all, that over the past week, not for even a single moment had he been able to drive the thought of Amy out of his head, and in truth, he had never intended to drive it out.

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